St. Peters Rotary Dog Park to Offer Lakeside Play

St. Peters Parks and Recreation plans to spend $115,000 to build a dog park at Lakeside 370 Park in 2013 and 2014.

The St. Peters Rotary Dog Park will have two sections: a one-acre piece for small dogs and a two-acre area for larger dogs, both of which will be fenced in.

Phase one of the project, expected to be finished this fall, will include relocating the pedestrian trail, completing grade work, creating a 100-spot gravel parking lot and installing a double gate concrete entry patio and yard hydrant.

Phase two, which is expected to be finished in fall 2014, will include building a road to the small dog area, a second gravel parking lot, a shared shade structure, water in the shade area and access to the lake for off-leash dogs.

"It's got to be fun for those dogs," said Vicki Phillips, director of park operations.

Funding for the dog park comes from a sales tax increase approved by voters Aug. 7. The city plans to spend $115,000 on the the park.

The parks department is still drafting recommendations for how the dog park should operate.

DuSable Dog Park in St. Charles requires owners to be prepared to show immunization records and limits the park to only those dogs that are spayed or neutered. Broemmelsiek Park prohibits dogs in heat from being in the park. Both dog parks also limit children under age 8 from being in the dog park.

Phillips said she would present the recommendations to the Board of Aldermen.